Secrets
by Kelcor
Summary: Someone has it in for one of our favourite Treasure Protectors... but which one? Either way, there is lots of brotherly schmoop and h/c in these here pages! *wink* Rated "T" for future chapters... just in case.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N Hello All! I'm baaaacccckkkk! LoL And not only with a new story but a new fandom, as well! :o) This is my first time writing a National Treasure fic. It won't come even close to the quality of the NT fics written by SaveChangesToNormal but she has inspired my interest in these movies, so many, many, MANY thanks to her for her unsurpassed writing talent! If you like National Treasure fics and/or MacGyver and/or SG-1, you should TOTALLY check out her fics! Seriously. Anyway, here is my contribution to this fandom. I hope it's enjoyable. I'm still trying to get the voices of the characters. I have the next chapter already mapped out so it shouldn't take too long for me to get it on here. Maybe by the weekend? ~Kelcor_

_A/N2 Okay, so I've used a couple clips from NT2 to help me get a handle on the voices. Next chapter will have a few, as well, but will then become a/u - about midway through that chap, I think, judging by my outline. Then I'll be on my own... so please review with any suggestions!? Thanks so much. Now, without further ado..._

He paused at the top of the concrete staircase and slipped a cigarette out of the pack in his breast pocket. Pulling out his fancy Zippo lighter, unable to resist running his thumb over the intricate engraving on its front, he lit the cigarette as he glanced furtively into the darkness around him. He was clearly going for nonchalant but failed miserably, his agitation emanating off him in waves.

After peering into the shadows of the graveyard for several long moments, the man finally decided he wasn't being followed and flicked his unfinished cigarette to the ground before grinding it out with the toe of his shoe and proceeding down the stairs with a true sense of foreboding.

At the bottom of the staircase, he threw a glance over his shoulder, then began pressing various stones in the wall, the correct sequence of which known only to the most elite members of the group. After pushing the sixth and final stone, he stepped back as the hidden door revealed itself and slowly opened outward. The scraping noise echoed in the narrow staircase, eliciting a pained wince from the man as he once again glanced up into the darkness, tensing for the possibility of an attack.

When no ambush presented itself, he stepped across the threshold into the oily blackness beyond the door - which promptly closed behind him. He stood still for a moment, encroached in the seemingly unfathomable depths of the darkness surrounding him, then pulled out his lighter again and lit the torch mounted on the wall to his right. Sliding the Zippo back into his pocket, he grasped the wooden stem of the torch firmly in his hand and pulled it out of the brace holding it against the wall. The flame revealed a long hallway ahead, the proverbial 'light at the end' indeed flickering faintly in the distance.

He took a deep breath and began his trek toward the light, cringing inwardly at the irony of the situation. As the circumference of light became larger with his approach, so did the dread building in his stomach. His one free hand clenched into a fist, nails digging into his palms, as he stepped into the dimly lit room, the only illumination provided by several other torches spread out along the walls. As he stared at the disappointed and angry faces of the tribunal, he thought of the man that had pushed him into this situation and silently vowed revenge on said individual, promising to inflict pain on everyone the man held dear…

NTNTNTNTNT

_Paris, France_

Riley Poole couldn't help but feel a little jealous as Ben bounced his ideas off the Parisian police officers. He had always played the role of the "sounding board". It was bad enough he'd barely seen Ben in the past couple years but now he had to sit back while a complete stranger took his place in his friend's life?

"Riley, how fast can we get to Buckingham Palace?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask your new best friend?"

The look on Ben's face in that moment made Riley rethink his words. The guy actually seemed surprised by the statement. Like, how could Riley even think such a thing!? Okay, Riley had been busy those two years, as well. What with the research - which sometimes even involved little 'field trips' - and then the actual writing of his book, he hadn't really had time for socializing. He suddenly realized, with more than a twinge of guilt, that he was being petty. Like junior-high-petty. He wished he could take the words back. But, knowing that was impossible, he decided on the next best thing… he'd make it up to Ben. He wouldn't stop until they found the proof to clear the name of Ben's great-grandfather, Thomas Gates.

The Parisian officer glanced at Riley, then down at his helicopter. "Nice helicopter. Is that yours?"

NTNTNTNTNT

_Washington, DC_

Riley watched his best friend dig through the boxes in the back of the van with disbelief, which quickly morphed into betrayal when he saw the envelope that had his writing on the front, the envelope that held the product borne from two strenuous years of his life, the envelope that was...

"You didn't even open it?" Riley did his best to hide the pain in his voice but knew he hadn't fully succeeded. But, seriously, of all the people in his life, he'd thought at least Ben would have read his book.

Ben did his best to shrug off what he knew would be the ultimate betrayal in his young friend's eyes. "I was moving," he said, forcing a smile on his face. Truth be told, he had been devastated. Abby wasn't the first woman he had ever fallen in love with - just ask his father if you want proof of that - but she had been the only woman he had lived with. He had been sure that she was different, that she would be the one who could love him despite his eccentricities and possibly even _for_ them. But, he'd been wrong… she had kicked him out of their house, changed the locks, recoded the alarm system, even started dating again, apparently. Who knew he would be so easy to get over? Huh. He could probably think of a few select people. Riley might even be one of them, at this point.

NTNTNTNTNT

The four had decided to make Patrick's house their home-base for the time being, spending several hours mapping out each step of their foolhardy plan. Patrick had gone to bed a couple hours ago. Abby about an hour after that. They needed to get an early start in the morning if they were going to be ready for Mount Vernon tomorrow night. Riley was sitting at one end of the sofa, laptop open and running as he went over some last minute details for the kidnapping of the President of the United States. He still couldn't believe Ben was actually going to do this. But, if anyone could pull it off, it would be Ben. Speaking of, well, thinking of Ben, Riley could feel the man's eyes on him. He glanced up and made hesitant eye contact. It had been a while since they had spent any time alone together but Riley still felt silly for being so nervous around the man.

"What?" The question was asked softly even while his eyes darted back to the computer screen as he pretended to be concentrating on that, instead of trying to figure out what to say to Ben.

"Nothing," Ben replied, voice just as soft. "I just missed this, I guess."

Riley chuckled. "Missed what, exactly? Our crazy capers?"

"No. I missed hanging out with you."

Riley's attention was wrenched away from the computer. He looked at Ben with wide eyes, trying to figure out if the older man was serious or not. Seeing that he was, Riley quickly returned his focus to the computer, hoping that the glare from the screen would hide the blush which was steadily rising on his cheeks.

"Oh," he said, throat working to swallow the lump that had taken up residence there. "Uh, yeah, me too."

Ben smiled. He could tell he had embarrassed the kid but knew the words had needed to be said. What Riley had said in Paris made Ben realize how selfish he had been during his separation from Abby. He'd made little to no effort to pull his young friend out of his self-imposed writing cocoon for even a cup of coffee. No wonder the kid was so hesitant around him these days. Oh, he was still his usual sarcastic, funny self around everyone else but Ben could see the differences that no one else could. Because he knew Riley the way no one else could.

The kid actually began squirming beneath Ben's gaze so he relented and pulled his reading glasses out of his breast pocket. Slipping them on, he reached across to the coffee table and snagged Riley's book off the top. He pretended not to notice the fact that Riley was tracking his every movement through the corner of his eye. He opened the book at page one and began reading.

"Ben?"

"Hmm?" Ben asked, eyes not leaving the book.

"You don't have to do that."

Ben finally looked up at him, saw the uncertainty in those expressive blue eyes. "Riley…"

"Seriously, I know conspiracies aren't everybody's thing. I mean, yeah, I thought they would be your thing, what with your life long search for the treasure and all, but I don't want you to read my book because you think you have to, because you feel obligated --"

"Riley!" His name was said with such a quiet forcefulness that Riley would have halted his babbling even without Ben placing his hand gently over his mouth.

Riley's eyes widened. His "Yeah?", came out jumbled but Ben was able to translate.

"Shush."

A few hours later, Ben was still reading. He'd never known what a talented writer Riley Poole truly was. This book was really… _good_. Even a non-conspiracy buff would enjoy it because Riley's personality was inserted onto each page, each sentence. He glanced over at Riley to tell him as much and was surprised to see the kid had nodded off to sleep, laptop still open and on his lap. A gentle smile graced Ben's lips before he returned his attention to the book in his hands.

A pained murmur brought his eyes back up to the young man beside him, however. Riley's eyes were squeezed shut, his head was tossing from side to side. He kept muttering in his sleep. Ben couldn't make out what the kid was saying and he was pretty sure he didn't want to. Setting the book face down on the arm of the couch, Ben closed the laptop and set it atop the coffee table. He then wrapped one arm around Riley's shoulders and pulled him closer until his head was resting against Ben's shoulder and chest. The kid struggled against the hold at first, still caught up in the nightmare, but Ben didn't let go. "It's okay, kiddo," he whispered into the dark hair. "I gotcha. You're safe." And, just like that, the struggling ceased and Riley settled back into a peaceful slumber. Smiling again, Ben picked up the book and, with one arm still wrapped around his friend, he continued to read Riley's own 'book of secrets'.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N Okay, so, here is Chapter Two. I'm dedicating this particular chapter to Miss Fenway! :o) Thank you all for your wonderful reviews for Chapter One. I hope this next installment doesn't disappoint. Please R&R? First thing I do when I come to my computer is check to see if anyone left me a review! :o) LoL May sound pathetic to some, but your thoughts really do matter to me! I hope it's an enjoyable read. ~Kelcor_

Having finished reading Riley's book, Ben still found himself blatantly _not_ tired. Doing his best not to wake the still sleeping Riley, he slowly lifted his arm from around his friend's shoulders and looked at his watch - just after midnight. It was going to be a long day tomorrow, he'd better go to bed and at least try to get some sleep of his own.

His eyes moved to the slumbering figure pressed against his side and he ran his hand briefly through the kid's dark hair. He then began to carefully extricate himself from the fist that had taken up purchase on the front of his shirt, only to be pre-empted by said fist tightening its grip in the fabric, which was followed quickly by a groan of protest from the young man.

With a lighthearted eye roll and a small grin, Ben settled back into the sofa for the night, hugging Riley close for a brief moment before closing his eyes to get some much needed rest - even if his body refused to admit to that need.

Five minutes later, Ben groaned inwardly and opened his eyes. The adrenaline from the day's events must still be coursing through his veins. But there had to be something else because he was simply and irrefutably _not_ tired. He ran the last 24 hours through his mind, trying to figure out why his body wouldn't allow him to… Oh. Okay, yeah. That pot of coffee he'd consumed earlier that evening might have something to do with his apparent insomnia.

Well. If he was going to be awake, he may as well do something productive. He glanced down at the fist, which still had a death grip on his shirt. Then again, productive was highly overrated… something he never thought he'd ever hear himself say, er, think.

Ben glanced at the coffee table. The television remote was mocking him, just out of his reach. He couldn't just sit here and stare at nothing all night long… comatose just wasn't in his blood. So, with slow, intricate movements, Ben leaned himself and Riley forward, in an effort to reach that darned remote control. Just as his fingertips brushed against the desired target, Riley murmured something in his sleep and stretched out somewhat, effectively distributing the upper half of his body across Ben's lap, his head coming to rest in the crook of the elbow attached to the arm currently reaching for the remote. Riley curled his legs up onto the couch until his knees were pressed against the back cushions and seemed to settle in for the long haul.

Looking down at his young friend with more than a little amusement, it took Ben a moment to realize his other arm was now completely free. Changing tactics, he was able to keep Riley from being jostled too much as he reached over him with his newly freed arm. The new angle enabled him to snag the remote, a silent cheer of 'Yes!' on his lips as he turned the television on and immediately muted the volume to keep from waking 'sleeping beauty'.

NTNTNTNTNT

Riley woke in slow increments. The first thing he realized was that he felt… safe. Huh. Been a while since that was the first thought that entered his head when waking up. Usually, it was 'still tired' or 'don't wanna get up', but 'safe'? Weird. Then he noticed that, although he was definitely comfortable, whatever his head was resting on didn't quite feel like a pillow. Finally, his sense of smell kicked in. Cologne? What the heck? He slowly opened his eyes and was met with an up-close-and-personal view of a grey cotton sweater. _Aw, man!_

Squeezing his eyes shut in preparation for the acute embarrassment he was about to face, Riley rolled over onto his back and, when he opened his eyes, found himself staring up into the slightly amused eyes of the one and only, Benjamin Franklin Gates. "Sleep well," Ben asked in the dry tone he seemed to love.

Riley pulled himself into a sitting position, barely suppressing the groan of mortification… actually, not suppressing it at all. He placed his elbows on his knees, buried his face in his hands, and prayed that this was all just a dream.

"You were having a nightmare," Ben supplied gently.

"Still am," Riley muttered from behind his hands.

A moment of silence passed between the two friends, the awkwardness hard to miss as it emanated off Riley's entire being. Ben cleared his throat and, in an attempt to relieve the chagrin his friend was clearly feeling, he said, "Wanna watch the ballgame with me?"

This brought Riley's head back up. Wide eyes settled on Ben before turning to the television and seeing the Boston Red Sox on the muted television. His breath caught in his throat before he was able to croak out, "Who's playing?"

Ben gave him a curious look but passed the reaction off to the kid still being half asleep - not to mention the fact that the formidably independent Riley Poole had woken up in what he would see as a very vulnerable situation. "The Sox versus the Angels."

"Score?"

"So far, 4-1 for the Sox, bottom of the seventh."

"Cool," Riley said, finally relaxing back against the cushions, the redness in his face dissipating back to the kid's normal complexion.

Ben turned up the volume and they both grinned as Wakefield struck out yet another Angel slugger. Awkwardness now forgotten, the two friends sat shoulder to shoulder and watched as the Sox scored another 6 runs in the eighth inning. By the end of the game, the Sox had beaten the Angels with an amazing 10-1 lead.

As the two men stood up to retire to their respective bedrooms, Riley quietly confessed, "My dad used to take me to see the Sox at least once every season."

Ben shot a stunned glance his way. The seemingly nonchalant comment actually left the man speechless - definitely not a common occurrence for Benjamin Gates. Finally, as they each reached their bedroom doors, Ben turned to Riley, "I don't think you've ever mentioned your family to me before, Riley."

The younger man shrugged but refused to meet Ben's gaze. "Never came up in conversation before, I guess. 'Night, Ben." Without another word, Riley stepped into his room and shut the door, leaving behind a more than bewildered Ben.

He'd never realized before how little he truly knew about Riley's past. What kind of a friend did that make him? With a determined set to his jaw, Ben decided then and there that he was going to be a more attentive friend to Riley. He'd ask more questions, show more of an interest in what made Riley who he is today - which, truth be told, was a loyal and wonderful friend. How could Ben truly consider himself worthy of the 'best friend' title, if he didn't offer that same loyalty to Riley?

NTNTNTNTNT

Ben, Abigail, and Riley all stood together on the ancient see-saw, anxiously awaiting a response from Mitch as to whether or not there was a way out at the top of the thing they had tentatively called a 'ladder'.

"Mitch," Riley called out. "Come on!"

Abigail glanced at Ben and Riley, a look of regret clear in her eyes. "I've been doing the math here, and…"

"I know," Ben replied.

"We're gonna have to leave one person behind."

"Just promise you'll come back for me," Riley stated, knowing, of the three of them, who had the least to live for. He flicked his eyes up to meet Ben's, then darted them away just as fast. "I can do the math, too."

Ben continued to eye his young friend. _Not gonna happen, Mr. Poole. Not gonna happen. _Fully aware that, if he voiced this, it would start an all out war, Ben simply switched his focus to Abigail. He wouldn't let her be sacrificed by this hunt, either. "That makes you next."

"I'll go last," Riley added, watching as Ben and Abigail made eye contact and nodded. Neither Riley nor Abigail realized that Ben was actually saying goodbye to the love of his life with that one look. "No, we'll figure something else out, Riley. No, we need you up there, please, Riley." Ben recognized the fact that the kid was trying to be funny, to lighten the mood, but he also didn't miss the fear hidden beneath the words. Riley was always so ready to sacrifice himself for the ones he loved.

Abigail placed a hand on Riley's arm, effectively stopping his mini impersonations, but she had a tiny grin on her face. _Mission accomplished, _Riley said to himself. So long as Ben and Abigail lived happily ever after, his sacrifice would be more than worth it. Because, of all the people in Riley's life, no one deserved the whole 'happily-ever-after' scenario more than Ben Gates. "I'm just kidding," he said, offering up a tiny grin of his own. "Go."

"Okay," Abigail whispered, giving Riley's arm a quick, affectionate squeeze. She stepped away from the two men and, with a quick glance at Ben, fully unaware that this may be the last time she would see him alive, she made her way towards the dilapidated ladder.

Even as he and Riley moved in the opposite direction, pushing the other corner up closer to the ladder so that Abi could reach it, Ben started planning his next move. How the heck was he going to force Riley to leave him behind. The kid was loyal to a fault and, for some reason Ben had yet to discover, considered himself to be more dispensable.

Then the structure itself seemed to turn the tables for him because, as soon as he and Riley rushed forward and Abi had begun her climb to safety, the whole ancient see-saw started to fall apart beneath their feet. The resulting earthquake-type tremors gave Ben the perfect opportunity to push Riley closer to the ladder.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Ben lied, feigning innocence, hoping Riley would assume the tremors alone had jolted him forward a few feet.

A panicked cry brought their attention to Abi who was on the ladder but unable to gain purchase on the ledge. "I - I can't…" At the last possible second, just before Abi fell to her death, Mitch grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to safety.

Meanwhile, several feet separated Riley and Ben, with Riley even closer to the ladder than before. The two friends locked eyes.

"Go," Ben yelled. "Go now. Go!"

Reluctantly, Riley turned away from Ben and struggled along the shaking structure until he was close enough to make the jump. "All right. Ready," he called.

"Now!"

With a yell that he would argue was a battle cry, Riley threw himself through the air, just praying that he would reach the ladder… and that the ladder would hold his weight. He grabbed a hold of one rung and held on for dear life.

"Riley," Abigail called down to him. "Hang on!"

_Yeah, thanks for the tip, Abs! _He appreciated the concern but, seriously, did she actually think he was gonna let go? Okay, yeah, he'd been ready to sacrifice himself a few minutes ago but letting go now would serve no purpose whatsoever. Ben could still die.

Abigail searched around the small area she and Mitch were standing in - a sort of cavern within a cavern. Her eyes finally landed on something that just might save Ben! "Mitch, the idol." She turned back to Ben. "Okay, Ben, we found a gold idol here. We can roll it over to offset your weight."

"Then roll it," Ben called back.

Without wasting another minute, Abi and Mitch pushed the idol towards the edge. "Here it comes," Abi shouted.

Ben backed up a few steps and, as soon as the idol landed on the precarious structure, he took a running leap over top of it and launched himself toward the ladder.

"Come on, Ben!" Riley yelled.

Ben caught the bottom rung but one hand slipped off, forcing him to an angle where he was able to stare down into the depths of this enormous cavern.

"Here! Give me your hand!"

He looked up to see Riley was now sitting on a rung further up the ladder and had his arm stretched down to him. Ben grabbed his friend's hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. "Thanks, Riley," he said, with more meaning behind the words than ever before.

"Why couldn't a girl see me do that," Riley lamented.

NTNTNTNTNT

Riley, Abigail, Patrick and Emily were just about on the other side of the door that would save them from certain death-by-drowning, when it suddenly came slamming back down to the floor.

Riley spun around and saw Ben almost get clobbered by the large wheel that Mitch had obviously released without warning. "Mitch," he yelled, "we need to be on the other side of that door!"

"Nobody leaves unless I say so," Mitch declared. "That door's not gonna stay open by itself! We both know what has to happen here, Ben."

"One of us keeps the door open… and stays behind."

"I vote Mitch," Riley piped up, not liking that look in Ben's eye.

Ben made eye contact with the kid, trying to silently tell him to keep his mouth shut.

"This isn't a democracy," Mitch rallied.

Ben kept his eyes on Riley. He new all too well that his young friend was antagonizing Mitch in order to draw the man's attention away from Ben and onto himself. Apparently, it didn't work because the next thing Ben knew, Mitch's fist was making a solid connection with his jaw, snapping his head back painfully.

"Hey," Riley cried, stalking through the water towards Mitch with a clear intent to defend his friend, only to have Mitch's elbow slammed into his face, knocking him off his feet and into the water. Ben saw him go down and immediately lunged forward, groping beneath the surface until his hands latched onto Riley's jacket. He hauled him up out of the water, supporting him for a brief moment while the kid caught his breath.

NTNTNTNTNT

The water was rushing around them, forcing them through the opening. Riley tried to get to Ben but the current was too strong. The last thing he had seen was his best friend bracing the wheel with his own body, keeping it open so that everyone else could get out. No! This wasn't happening. Riley wouldn't be able to live with himself if Ben died. He turned to Abigail, "We've gotta get Ben out of there!"

Without another word, Riley put all his strength into swimming against the fierce current, toward the door… toward Ben! After what felt like forever to his exhausted arms, Riley reached his intended target. He took a deep breath and plunged beneath the surface. As he made his way under the door, he recognized Ben's jacket - he was closer than Riley had expected. He wrapped an arm around his best friend's waist and yanked him below the surface of the water and pulled him to the other side of the door, just seconds before it slammed the rest of the way to the floor!

When Ben could breathe again, he turned to see Riley slumped into the corner, panting with the exertion of the rescue. He reached up with one hand, clasping it around the back of the younger man's neck. Riley turned and met his eyes, and Ben put as much love and gratitude into his gaze as he possibly could, then finalized it with a brief squeeze at the base of Riley's neck. "Are you okay?"

The kid nodded, his lips quirking into a small smile. Hoping against hope that Riley had understood the subtext of that question, Ben turned to Abi. "Thank you," he said, needing her to know how important it was to him that she had done as he had asked, that she had convinced his parents to escape.

NTNTNTNTNT

Riley worked his way through the large clusters of people, he had to find Ben, he had to show him this really cool souvenir he bought at the little shop in the… and then he saw them. Ben and Abigail, huddled close together, talking quietly. With a sigh, Riley turned and headed in the opposite direction. Once again, Ben had gotten the girl. He was happy for them, really he was, but being the third wheel was getting old. Which, if he were honest with himself, was probably one of the reasons he had distanced himself from Ben after finding the Templar treasure. A subconscious reason, but a reason nonetheless.

Then Abi had ended their relationship and kicked Ben out of their new house. And Riley hadn't been there to help his friend through the obvious heartbreak - at the very least, to offer him the use of his sofa. What kind of a friend did that make him?

With a new found determination, Riley changed direction once again. He was not going to abandon his friends. Especially, not Ben. Not this time. Besides, he'd been miserable without Ben in his life the past couple of years. His book had become the whole purpose of his existence, yes, but it had been a lonely existence.

"Excuse me?"

A female voice brought him out of his internal ramblings. He turned around to see a pair of gorgeous blue eyes staring back at him. Attached to those blue eyes was a beautiful face, framed by long, luxurious strawberry-blonde hair. With an adorable smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks.

And this woman was talking to him? Seriously? Huh. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't end up the third wheel again, after all…

"Hey, you're that guy. The treasure hunter guy, right?'

Then again… now, _that _made more sense.

"No, actually the guy you're thinking of," he turned to look in the direction he had been headed, "is somewhere over there."

"No," she said with a beaming smile. She reached into her shoulder bag. "You're him," she added, pulling his book out of the bag. "Riley Poole. I recognize you from your book."

Riley stared at her in stunned silence. She'd read his book??

"Will you sign it?"

_And_ she wanted his autograph? He dropped the large bag of souvenirs, not giving the crashing noise a second thought, and managed to get out one. single. word. "Okay."

Problem was, he couldn't take his eyes off her long enough to actually do as she'd asked and autograph the book. But, judging by her expression - glowing smile, a sparkle to her eyes - she didn't seem to mind.

TBC

_A/N2 The Red Sox reference was for Miss Fenway. Also, this chapter signifies the last clip from the movie... I think. I may use some as flashbacks, but that's not in my current game plan. So, from this point on, everything will coming directly from my imagination to the computer. I promise to get back to the 'bad guy' in the next chapter. I just wanted to establish the strained yet unbreakable bond between Riley and Ben. Again, please leave a review? I'm not begging or anything... okay, maybe a little! LoL j/k I would love to hear what you think, though. :o) ~Kelcor_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N Okay, I had wanted this to be longer but I don't think I'll be able to really work on it again until this weekend and this chapter is already almost a week late. *sorry* Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Btw, I don't know if the credits listed a character name for the cute red-head at the end of BOS but, in this story, her name is Stephanie. LoL Please let me know what you think? Your reviews inspire me, which, in turn, motivates me to write faster! :o) ~Kelcor_

The sun was shining bright and the air was warm on this mid-September afternoon. Riley gazed up at the cloudless sky, trying to remember when he had ever been this happy. Ben and Abigail had invited him to this impromptu backyard-barbecue and had even told him to bring Stephanie along, as well. Patrick and Emily were there, too - making this an official 'family picnic'.

There was a time when Riley would have felt like an intruder by attending such an event but, over the past several months, Stephanie had managed to convince him that Ben did indeed consider Riley to be part of the family, possibly even a little brother. Though Riley didn't dare carry the fantasy that far, he had come to entertain the idea that he maybe held the importance of a distant cousin.

Ah, Stephanie. So sweet and kind. He took a swig from his beer, his blue eyes moving across the yard in search of his date of choice. From his perch on the edge of the picnic table, he could see her playing a game of volleyball with Abigail. His eyes then fell on Emily and Patrick who were watching from the sidelines, awaiting their turn to test each other's competitive edge. Some would think Ben's parents too old for such a sport - or for any sport, for that matter! - but, then again, those same people would have expected the two to be goners if left to their own devices after being trapped in a cave-in five months ago. _And_, Riley chuckled, _they would be oh-so wrong_.

"What's so funny?"

Riley glanced up to see Ben watching him from a couple feet away, smoke billowing around him from the steaks sizzling on the barbecue. Before Riley could answer, a whoop sounded from the other side of the yard, and Abigail and Stephanie came bounding over to them, eyes filled with laughter.

"Who won," Ben inquired, wrapping his arms around Abigail and pulling her close for a quick, gentle kiss.

"I did," Abigail giggled, "but I think Stephanie let me win."

"Not at all," Stephanie assured her, taking a seat on the bench next to Riley and leaning into his side, even as his arm lifted to drape over her shoulders. "You definitely gave me a run for my money."

"Uh-oh," Riley muttered.

Ben followed Riley's gaze. Emma and Patrick were already arguing and the game hadn't even begun yet. "I'll be right back," Ben sighed, stepping away to play mediator yet again.

Abigail grabbed his hand, however, pulling him back to stand in front of the barbecue. "You take care of the food, Mr. Gates. I will deal with your feuding parents this time." Her focus moved to Stephanie. "Feel like a game of doubles?"

"Sounds good to me," the red-head agreed, placing a kiss on Riley's cheek before standing and heading over to the net.

Abigail moved to join her but Ben kept a firm hold of her hand and, with a gentle tug, she found herself back in his arms. His gaze was warm and his lips were tender as he leaned down to kiss her again. "Thank you," he said, sincerity clear in his voice.

"You're welcome. And, Riley," she added, turning her attention to the youngest of her two favourite men, "don't let him burn the steaks."

Riley mock-saluted her. "Yes, ma'am."

"Hey!" But Ben's protest fell on deaf ears as Abigail joined Stephanie, Emily and Patrick to decide on the teams.

"I think I'm going to propose," Riley whispered, as soon as Abigail was out of earshot.

Ben turned a startled gaze toward him. "I'm sorry, you're going to what?"

"You heard me."

"Do you think that's wise?"

"What?"

"Riley, you've only known this girl for five months. Don't you think you're jumping the gun a little bit, here?"

"Why? You think she'll say no?"

"No. In fact, I'm pretty darn sure she'll say yes. I just think you should hold off until you can be more certain as to her _reasons_ for saying yes, before actually popping the question."

"You still think she's only with me for my money." It wasn't a question. "Because why else would she be with someone like Riley Poole, right?"

"No, Riley. It's not that, and you know it," Ben declared. "I know you're anxious to be part of a family again, but --"

"What did you just say?" Riley's voice had pitched down to a dangerous timbre, deceptively calm but with an undeniable edge to it.

Ben had never heard such a tone from his young friend before. After doing a cautious double-take, Ben repeated his words. "I said that I know you're anxious to be part of a family."

"No," there was that tone again, "you said 'again', that I'm anxious to be part of a family **again**."

Ben sighed, annoyed with himself for the slip of the tongue. How could he have been so careless? Yes, he had been planning to talk to Riley about his recent discoveries, but he'd wanted to wait for the right moment (this was not it!) and it was supposed to be a private conversation, no spectators allowed. Now that that plan had gone out the window, Ben had no choice but to pursue it further.

In an effort to, at least, take the spectators out of the equation, Ben took Riley by the elbow and, ignoring the kid's struggles and protests, he led him over to the back porch, effectively inserting several feet between their soon-to-be discussion and the would-be audience.

"Let go of me," Riley said, finally wrenching his arm free when Ben loosened his grip.

"Riley, look," Ben began. "I know about your parents… and your brother."

Against his will, Riley's subconscious mind took him back to the dark and painful memories of his past, to a time and place it usually only pulled him to when he was locked in a deep sleep and had no control over its path. Forcing himself back to the here and now, Riley blinked back the burning sensation behind his eyes.

Ben plunged ahead in his explanation. "I did some research, Ri."

Hearing those words, Riley chose a much safer emotion… Anger. "I'm not one of your pet projects," he bit out through clenched teeth.

"Of course, you're not," Ben agreed. "I was just worried about you, kid--"

"You had _no right_."

"It's my obligation as 'best friend' to help you when you're hurting and how can I help when I don't know what's causing the pain?"

"Well, I hereby absolve you of that 'obligation'!"

"What?"

"Any and all _obligations_ you felt as 'best friend' are now null and void… because you no longer hold that title."

"Riley, come on, now. If you would just take a step back and look at the situation in a logical manner, I'm sure --"

"Logical?! You know what's funny, _Mr. Spock_? I was all ready to ask you to be my best man," Riley said softly. "What's even funnier is that I was nervous you'd say no!"

"Riley," Ben pleaded, placing his hands on the younger man's shoulders.

Shrugging out of Ben's grip, Riley glared up at his friend, "Don't touch me," he seethed. "This friendship? It's over. We're through, Ben. Forever."

NTNTNTNTNT

Abigail lay in bed, her head resting on her husband's chest, listening to the pounding of his heart. If she didn't know any better, she'd think it was missing a crucial beat - a beat named Riley. Knowing that Ben was still wide awake, she whispered, "Try to get some sleep, sweetheart."

"It's too soon. He barely even knows her. She could be after his money for all we know."

Abigail pushed herself up on one elbow and locked eyes with him. "You don't really mean that."

"Yes. I mean, no. I mean… I don't know."

With a soft smile and a shake of her head, Abigail lay back down, snuggled into Ben's side. "Well said," she smirked.

"What I do know," he continued, "is that Riley is entering into this whole marriage thing for the wrong reasons."

"He thinks he's alone," Abigail stated matter-of-factly.

"But he's not alone. He already _has_ a family. Why can't he see that?"

"Have you ever told him?"

"What?"

"Have you ever told him that he's not only a part of this family but a very integral part?"

Before Ben was able to answer, a crash sounded from downstairs.

NTNTNTNTNT

"Who does he think he is?"

"He's your best friend," Stephanie told him. "He's just looking out for you."

They drove around aimlessly for a few hours, stopping at a small diner for a bite to eat, which basically involved Stephanie watching the man who had mysteriously won her heart - despite her best efforts to remain unaffected by his charms - picking at his food for about an hour and eating none of it.

Finally returning to Riley's apartment about an hour ago, Stephanie was sitting on the sofa, watching Riley pace back and forth in front of her. He was still fuming about what had happened at the barbecue.

"He always treats me like a kid," he exclaimed. "The guy acts like I can't make any decisions on my own!" He paused for a long moment, then the true source of his anger came roaring to the surface, but it was more than just anger… his voice also held an undeniable trace of panic, as well. "He had no right to go digging into my past!"

NTNTNTNTNT

Ben slipped soundlessly out from under the covers, sliding his feet into the slippers laying on the floor next to the bed.

"What are you doing?" The urgent whisper had Ben turning back to look at his beautiful wife. He leaned forward and brushed his lips briefly against hers.

"Stay here. I'll be right back."

"Don't be a hero, Ben."

"Haven't you heard?" he asked with a dry smirk. "According to the papers, I already am."

She gave him an exasperated, yet concerned look as he blew her a kiss and stepped out into the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind him.

TBC


End file.
